Since early 2009, nearly half of the Office of Congressional Ethics’ investigations into U.S. House members and staff involve election activity such as potential campaign finance violations, according to a new report the independent office published this week.

The Office of Congressional Ethics — the U.S. House’s independent, internal watchdog — has been much less likely to investigate members’ and their staff’s official activities.

The focus on election activity comes at a time when the frequently gridlocked Federal Election Commission, the government agency tasked with policing campaign matters, is slapping political committees with fewer and fewer penalties.

Congress grants the Office of Congressional Ethics the jurisdiction to investigate any alleged violation of a “law, rule, regulation or other standard of conduct.”

But it can’t dole out penalties.

Instead, it refers the results of some investigations to the House Committee on Ethics, which in turn may conduct its own investigations, and in rare cases, vote to recommend punishments to the full U.S. House.

Notable campaign finance-related investigations initiated by the Office of Congressional Ethics include those involving Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., who the House ultimatelycensured, and Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., who decided not to seek re-election amidmultipleinvestigations.

Primary Source dove into developments in the post-Citizens United world of money in politics. It featured original, entrepreneurial reporting by Center staff, as well as examinations of primary source documents.